The Farming Families SD. Dec 2020

December 2020 | www.AgeMedia.pub

Faith / Family / Friends / Farming

Revisiting some of your favorite stories.

Photo by Jon Klemme

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of Sioux County PUBLISHERS Garrett and Mindy Gross, AGE Media SOUTH DAKOTA MANAGER Garrett Gross, AGE Media DIRECT ADVERTISING INQUIRIES TO:

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We have been in the auction business for over 60 years and sold thousands of acres of land, millions of dollars of equipment and much more. There is no job too big or too small, so give us a call and we would be happy to work with you.

DIRECT STORY SUBMISSIONS, SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE TO: (605) 690-4071 mindy@agemedia.pub © The Farming Families, Age Media & Promotion The Farming Families is distributed free exclusively to the farmers, ranchers and producers in rural southeaster South Dakota. All rights reserved. Content in this magazine should not be copied in any way without the written permission of the publisher. The Farming Families assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Content in articles, editorial and advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by The Farming Families and Age Media & Promotion.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

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FROM THE EDITOR

AN OASIS OF POSITIVITY

By Bob Fitch

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your friends at AGE Media and Farming Families magazine!

Like most of you, I’m happy to put the year 2020 in my rearview mirror.

Between the pandemic and politics, it just wasn’t a year most of us would like to relive.

Nonetheless, we hope you found Farming Families magazine to be an oasis of positivity. We pride ourselves on telling stories that are family-focused and community-building. We enjoy spotlighting the good things in the lives of area families, youth and agribusinesses. The history stories remind us of the good ol’ days or reveal forgotten tales of pioneer times.

With these thoughts in mind, this issue offers you a digest version of your favorite stories from 2020. Thanks to all of the families and youth who were willing to share their stories. If you know a family or person in agriculture with a good story to tell, send me their name and contact information. You can reach me via email at bob@agemedia.pub or via phone/text at 712-551-4123.

Bob Fitch, Editor

Thanks to all of you in Hutchinson, Turner, Lincoln and Minnehaha counties for supporting Farming Families magazine and our advertisers. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2021.

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

ANDY & DORIS SPAANS The late Andy Spaans left a legacy of old iron following his passing in January 2020. The tractors and implements he collected and restored symbolize a lifetime of friendships and relationships with the many people he interacted with – locally and across neighboring states – over the years.

For 45 years, Andy and his wife, Doris, farmed near Stickney raising Black Angus cattle most of those years, as well as corn, soybeans and wheat.

They moved off the farm to Mitchell in 2008 and shortly thereafter, in 2010, they built a shop south of Mitchell to house his collection. “Andy was always someone who had to be doing something, and he always enjoyed old machinery and tractors,” said Doris. After he retired, his collection really started to develop.

The late Andy Spaans of Stickney.

Andy started collecting in 1995 with a John Deere M and a John Deere Crawler. He started down the path of tractor restoration with his nephews and the rest, as they say, is history.

THE JENSEN FAMILY

GREG & JULIE HAMMER

The Jensen family of Garretson: Evan, Eric, Ron, Natasha, Megan and Molly.

Ron Jensen of rural Garretson, S.D. founded Jensen Electric, located in Renner, in 1999. Jensen Electric provides residential, commercial and agricultural electric services. His wife, Natasha, is the vice president and manages the HR and accounting for the company.

In addition to their committed team of employees, the Jensens’ children, Molly, Megan, Eric and Evan help with cleaning, filing and yardwork when they can. Ron joked: “There are no challenges in working with family.

Everything always goes great; there is never a cross word.”

Not only do the Jensens work together at the family’s electric company but also on their farm. “We do mostly small square bales for neighbors and friends that don’t have the equipment or the help to manage their pastures themselves. It is fun to have the kids bring friends out to experience bailing hay. It is truly rewarding getting to work together as a family.”

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

Greg and Julie Hammer with their dog Whiskey.

Greg and Julie Hammer balance a life lived on and off the farm. They farm land which his Norwegian great grandfather homesteaded between Baltic and Garretson in 1873. In addition to growing corn, soybeans and alfalfa, Hammers have a cow-calf operation and raise some seedstock bulls to sell.

Off the farm, Julie is the executive administrative assistant for the Sioux Empire Fair. Greg works in swine, beef and agronomy consulting for Bakker Consulting.

Outside of working for the fair and on the farm, Julie has volunteered for 16 years at the Sioux Empire Livestock Show which is held at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls in January. Greg was a local 4-H leader for 25 years and continues to help out, especially at fair time. He said, “4-H teaches responsibility, especially tending the livestock.

There are responsibilities with the chores.”

THE HEALY FAMILY Simon and Amanda Healy farm near Irene with their four children. The Healys are known for their line of Simmental cattle which their family has been raising for 42 years.

Simon is a proud livestock producer, following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. “Raising livestock is in my blood. I got involved at a very young age, and I was always helping as a kid and into college,” said Simon. The simple things Simon enjoys most about farming and raising cattle are when they pick a bull for a certain cow and he sires good calves. “It’s also great watching our kids enjoy the livestock and farming as much as we do.”

Age Media Qtr Page Color 7-12-19.pdf 1 7/12/2019 11:22:43 AM Amanda and Simon Healy of Irene with their children, Cain, Blaise, Diesel and Bella. Photo by Allscapes Photography.

The Healys have four children: Cain, Bella, Diesel and Blaise. “The kids are by my side or helping their grandpa do chores. Anything that needs to be done, they are out there doing it,” he said. Amanda added, “To see their excitement, hard work ethic, and hearing them say how much they love living on a farm and to watch them continue on with our legacy will be the best thing to watch.”

December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

JERRY STOEBNER Lifelong Tripp, S.D. area resident Jerry Stoebner has been in the auction business virtually his entire life. Today he represents Stockman’s Livestock out of Yankton as a field representative along with operating his own auction company which focuses on area estate and farm sales. He previously owned and operated the sale barn at the corner of Highways 37 and 18.

He and his wife Brenda also like to attend auctions and visit area antique shops. Most of the items they collect revolve around personal memories or items that have a Tripp area connection. He re-created the kitchen from his grandmother’s home with the original cabinets, sink and other kitchen items. He also has a collection of farm toys and items that reflect his childhood as well as his children’s.

Jerry Stoebner of Tripp.

Jerry also takes pride in items such as his father’s Farmall 560 tractor and signs from their old sale barn. Another item he takes special pride in is a photo of the 1967 Tripp High School basketball team. This squad went undefeated to win the State B Championship and, in 2017, they reunited to take another photo together.

CRAIG ANDERSEN Centerville area farmer Craig Andersen is the fourth generation of the Andersen family to farm in this area dating back to 1880s. He and his wife, Gail, raise corn, soybeans, winter wheat and alfalfa, as well as cattle in addition to their hog operation.

While both of them are reserved by nature, Craig has long been active with the South Dakota Pork Producers Council and earlier this year, he was elected to serve as the council’s president. He said it’s important to make sure the industry is represented properly and that the real benefits of the industry are shared with the public.

In the 150-plus years the Andersen family has lived in the area, there have been many changes, but the theme of providing for the family and leaving the land in better shape than it was found is something that hasn’t changed. “The most important thing we can do as farmers is take care of our land and be good neighbors,” Craig said.

Craig Andersen of Centerville with a copy of the Los Angeles Times where he was featured. Photo by Vincent Gene Photography.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

THE LEEPER FAMILY Roger and Cindy Leeper have lived on Valley View Farm near Ellis, west of Sioux Falls, since 1980. They adopted their grandson Phoenix Leeper in 2014. “He loves the farm life as much as we do. His work ethic is like no other,” Roger said.

At a very young age, Phoenix would mow hay with a lawn mower and rake it by hand then pick it up. “We thought he would outgrow that, but he didn’t,” said Roger. “So I made him a homemade baler so he could make small bales by hand. As Phoenix grew, we bought him a DR mower, and he mowed hay that way. He finally got a sickle mower and a John Deere 950 tractor last year.”

Because the Leeper family lives on a small farm, they have concentrated on raising small animals such as miniature horses. But Valley View Farm may be most well-known for Miniature Australian Shepherd dogs, which they have raised for almost 15 years.

Roger, Cindy and Phoenix Leeper of Ellis. Photo by Allscapes Photography.

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December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

DENNIS & DOROTHY BIETZ

THE LARSEN FAMILY The Larsen farm in Turner County was built on the shoulders of some tough, hardworking ancestors. Jim Larsen’s great grandfather immigrated from Denmark and homesteaded north of Viborg around 1880. “My dad and grandpa’s generation worked five times as hard as we do today. We’re fortunate we’ve got the technology and equipment. Those guys worked from sunup to sundown every day. They stayed home and saved. We owe a lot to them. We wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for them.”

Jim and Kim Larsen and Chris and Jamie Larsen grow corn and soybeans plus typically feed 400 yearling cattle through the winter. Even though Kim grew up in the city, she loves the farm. “You couldn’t ask for a better life or, for me, a better way to raise kids – small town, farm life.”

Chris is also a licensed commodity broker, running the Viborg branch of Bolt Marketing LLC since 2014. Chris said, “With how much time I spent looking at charts and following markets, I said why not turn this into a business of my own.”

Dennis and Dorothy Bietz of Scotland.

Retired Hutchinson County farmers Dennis and Dorothy Bietz read an article in South Dakota Magazine giving them an idea that it might be fun to visit every town in the state. Their plan was pretty simple: There are 447 towns in South Dakota and they were set on visiting each one! Considering the challenge of hitting that many towns, their plan was never to do it all in one trip or in one month.

They set out on their venture with long-time friends Paul and Lillian Schlechter to help with navigation and to provide company on the journey. It took them about 17 months to hit every town on the list. They traveled approximately 9,000 miles, went through 400 gallons of gas and stayed in hotels seven to eight nights.

Over the course of their trip, they had many laughs on the road. One sign caught their eye on the trip said, “We don’t know where we are going, but we are on our way.” This little sign became their slogan for the rest of the venture. They took over 1,100 photos of their trip and put them in 7 binders packed full of memories around the state.

The Larsen family of Viborg: Kim, Jim, Saylor, Chris and Jamie Larsen.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

THE WINTERSTEEN FAMILY Ken and Lynn Wintersteen of Olivet run a traditional farm and an old-fashioned sale barn. Their son, Evan, is in the Air National Guard and is currently deployed serving in an intelligence unit in Afghanistan. When Evan isn’t serving his Guard duty, he farms with his parents. “We’re pretty fortunate we’ve got a son who wants to do what we do and is able to,” Ken said.

When they’re not putting up hay, feeding cattle, spraying weeds and hauling manure, you can find Ken and Lynn at Menno Livestock Auction, which they’ve run for 24 years. It’s the only family-owned sale barn in South Dakota still selling all classes of livestock.

“I remember when we bought the place. A good friend of mine called me and said, ‘You’ll never make it, I guarantee you.’ This was back when Wagner was going and Tripp was going and Avon was going and Yankton had two barns. And we’ve outlived them all. It isn’t because we sit on our duff, I’ll tell you that.” When she’s not running the scale at Menno LIvestock, their daughter, Ellie, works at Northwest Vet & Supply in Parkston.

Ken and Lynn Wintersteen with their children, Ellie and Evan.

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HBASIOUXEMPIRE.COM December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

THE POPPENS FAMILY Dave Poppens and his nephew Eric farm and custom-feed cattle south of Tea. Dave said custom feeding has been good to them. “It takes the highs and lows out of it. We still do just about everything with handshakes. There’s no contracts involved. That’s one thing about farming and cattle feeding, you can do business over hundreds of thousands of dollars over a handshake yet. If you don’t trust them, it doesn’t matter what the contract says.”

Dave’s grandparents started farming in Lincoln County in the 1920s. Eric is the fourth generation to live in the farm house which was built in 1927 or 1928.

Dave laughed about people who move to the country, but want to have city convenience. “In the winter, they wonder ‘When’s my road going to be plowed?’ I tell them, ‘Well we’ve got 36 square miles in the township and we’ve got one guy and a maintainer. You might be first, you might be last.’ The new country neighbor says ‘Well, I can’t wait that long.’ My response is ‘Maybe you’d better get a tractor and a loader then.’”

Charis, Dave, Ron, Cheryl, Eric, Hunter, Faith, and Ginger Poppens. Brothers Ron and Dave farmed together for many years. Ron died a few days after this photo was taken.

ZANE & SANDY WILLIAMS Zane Williams isn’t scared to speak his mind. And what’s on his mind these days are the people who don’t understand the importance of agriculture and long-time family farmers.

“We are really the bread basket of our great country – the United States of America. We have to preserve something because concrete is eating up 160 acres an hour in this country. Agriculture is the engine that drives our local economy,” Zane said. As a cattle feeder and hay grower near Irene, he and his wife, Sandy, have been active with efforts to battle what they and others perceive to be an anti-animal agriculture agenda by a majority of the members of the Yankton County Commission influenced by outside special interest groups.

Sandy and Zane Williams of Irene.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

Zane’s passion for the land is handed down from his Norwegian ancestors who started farming in Marindahl Township in 1874. While Zane has land devoted to alfalfa, corn, and sometimes soybeans, he likes to keep his focus on cattle and hay. In addition to feeding cattle and running some cow-calf pairs, Zane is also a long-time commercial hay grower and broker.

DON & SUE OLSON Don and Sue Olson of Colton both grew up on farms and the lessons learned there are instilled in their hearts and souls.

The farming roots of Don’s family go back 144 years in Minnehaha County. Sue said, “Raising our children and now grandchildren with that faith, those traditions and values is simply invaluable. Having children learn how to raise a garden and animals, appreciating the land and environment, and growing up in rural South Dakota has life lessons that just aren’t found in a textbook.”

Growing up, Don helped on the farm plus worked for a neighbor. Sue was one of eight children on her family’s farm. “We all pitched in doing whatever chores and work we were able to do. Whether doing chores, walking beans, driving the tractor to pick up hay bales ... if it needed done and we were able to do so, we did it. Pay was pretty minimum if it happened. We just did it as part of being a family.”

Sue and Don Olson of Colton.

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December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

LYNELL & PAULINE HOFER

JOHN & JUDY ANDERSON John and Judy Anderson of Hudson grow corn and soybeans west of Hudson. John said starting out in the 1970s and 1980s was not easy. “Because of drought, I got 1.2 bushels of corn to the acre the first year I was farming in 1976. Everybody’s gone through the same ordeal that I went through. The ‘80s were tough. And it’s pretty tough for a lot of guys today, too.”

Their five grandchildren are pretty central to their lives, but Judy admitted, “It was a lot more fun when they were little. Farming didn’t seem like work then when they were here more often.”

The couple has a real affection for travel, including having seen large parts of the U.S. via motorcycle. But John doesn’t see parking his tractor and combine any time soon. “It’s a good life. I just like putting the crops in the ground and watching them grow. I always have. You got to keep going. How many times have you heard of someone who retired and they were dead within six months?”

Lynell and Pauline Hofer of Freeman.

Lynell and Pauline Hofer have enjoyed a lifetime of cattle, corn, coaching, teaching and board service. But the ideal day now for the Freeman area couple might involve a visit to the zoo followed by an evening picking peaches with their grandchildren.

Their son, Kerry, farms with them. He and his wife, Lori, live just across the road with their four children, Cadence, Reeslyn, Jamison and Kendric. Lynell is a long-time cattleman, running a cow-calf operation, along with producing corn and soybeans. They raise the calves to about 900 pounds and sell them around April 1st each year. The cow-calf pairs are run both on pasture and in a dry lot.

Diabetes and arthritis limit Lynell’s mobility somewhat, but they don’t limit his upbeat attitude. He said life on the farm is good because he has “a great wife, a great son, good people who work with me, and fantastic grandchildren.” Pauline said, “We both need each other.

I help him with his scooter and he drives because I have glaucoma really bad. We’re a dynamic duo!”

Judy and John Anderson of Hudson.

14

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SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

THE ANDERSEN FAMILY Greg and Joan Andersen, along with their son, Mike, farm in western Turner County. In addition to raising corn and soybeans, they feed cattle.

Raising cows, feeding cattle, and talking about cattle is what Greg likes to do. “I really like to surround myself with people who enjoy cattle.” In fact, Joan said, “When we were dating, I asked him ‘Do you really want to date me or do you really like my dad?’ He liked to spend a lot of time talking cattle with my dad.”

Mike said coming back to the farm in 2014 probably wasn’t the best timing. “Since I started farming, I’ve seen the worst drought in history, the worst flood in history, the highest corn in history, and now a big drop in corn prices. But, all in all, it’s worth it. You can’t take the farm out of the farm kid.” Mike expects times to get better and said the Andersen family will continue to focus on honesty, a good work ethic, and respect for their neighbors and business partners.

The Andersen family of Freeman. Front: Will and Sam. Back: Mike, Greg and Joan.

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DANNY HARRIS Retired farmer and long-time Harrisburg School District bus driver Danny Harris has seen a lot of the town’s history – from its days as a small farming community to its explosive growth as South Dakota’s fastest growing municipality.

When he was born in 1939, the population of Harrisburg was less than 250 people. Today, it’s more than 7,000. His graduating class included 26 students while the class of 2020 class included 304 graduates.

Like today, there was a major health scare – the polio epidemic of 1948. “The school was shut down for a month during the polio epidemic. My brother, Jack, who was 5 or 6, had polio and was in an iron lung.

My folks dropped him off at McKennan Hospital and couldn’t go back to see him for 30 days.”

Danny and Joan Harris of Harrisburg. Photo by Jon Klemme.

He was among the farmers who worked hard to help expand the Harrisburg Fire Department so it could provide service to rural areas. “In 1964, we bought a new fire truck and we’ve just kept expanding and expanding ever since. Before that, they were using an old Studebaker for a fire truck.”

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DAYS END AT THE FARM PHOTO BY BRETT DAVELAAR, BRETT DAVELAAR, BD PHOTOGRAPHY.

December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

19

SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2020

THE SCOTT FAMILY Kevin and Janell Scott didn’t begin farming with much.

“When we started, I was renting four quarters, farming with 4-row equipment. I was working too much. But what did I know? We didn’t have any money, but we didn’t know any better, so that was ok.”

They followed eight years on their own with 25 years farming with his brother. While Kevin was in the field, Janell home-schooled all six of their children. They also have three grandkids. Today, Kevin farms with son Jordan who said believes today’s ag technology is worth the investment. “Growing up around farming and seeing Dad do all this with these big toys, it gets in your blood. It’s not work when you get to play with these big toys every day.”

Kevin is a long-time advocate for farmers. He’s past president of the South Dakota Soybean Association and will become president of the American Soybean Association this month. Jordan is currently on the state soybean association board. He’s also taken his farm advocacy online, posting regular reports on YouTube from the farm field, explaining to non-farmers the real story of life on the farm.

Kevin and Janell Scott with their grandchildren, Quinn, Lincoln and Cora.

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BERNIE & JULIE WETERING What happens when you cross a health industry administrator and a commercial builder with Grandpa’s old farm? The surprising progeny is a Turner County horse boarding and breeding business.

Julie Wetering is the director of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls. Her husband Bernie owns TJ Paige Construction. After 16 years in Arizona, they bought the old home place of her grandparents north of Chancellor in 2001. Together, they started Triple W Performance Horses, where they not only board horses and provide riding trails, but they also breed quarter horses for barrel racing.

Julie said, “One of the very first horses we raised became the juvenile world champion of the Barrel Futurities of America in Oklahoma City. People try for a lifetime to win that and we stumbled into it with one of the first horses we raised.”

The horse, Frenchmans Perks, is currently competing on the pro circuit. In their breeding program, they strive to strike a balance between speed and rodeo ability – stallions provide the speed while “cow bred” horses have proven abilities for cutting and cow working.

Bernie and Julie Wetering of Triple W Performance Horses.

December 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

21

YOUTH IN AG - 2020

BLAKE ELDEEN Parker High School graduate Blake Eldeen was involved in FFA for six years.

“When I was in 6th grade, we had a group of FFA officers come and talk to our class about the different opportunities such as meeting new people, exploring new places, and developing leadership skills that are part of FFA. That all sounded like something I wanted to do,” he said.

Blake Eldeen

His goal in FFA was to develop leadership skills necessary for his career choice to help run the family’s HVAC business, Ryan’s Heating and Cooling. Blake lives in rural Parker with his parents, Ryan and Jessica, and his siblings, Parker, Hannah, Hudson, and Madalyn. He designed most of the family’s new house with the help of his father and assisted in many of the building aspects of the house. “I enjoy working with my dad and mom – whether it is doing HVAC or building a house. The satisfaction of being able to see a house plan come together is what motivates me to continue working hard at what I do,” he said.

CLAYTON SORUM Clayton Sorum, a graduate of Canton High School and currently an SDSU student, has farming in his DNA. One hundred fifty years ago, Clayton’s greatgreat grandfather homesteaded where he grew up.

The living room Clayton Sorum of that house was the original log cabin his great-great grandfather built. One day, Clayton will likely take over the farm, but for now, he is pursuing a degree in agricultural education with the goal of teaching and coaching at a high school level.

Clayton first was exposed to ag education in the 8th grade in an Intro to Ag class. “I was in the shop working with Canton’s ag teacher, Russ Swanson, when he asked me if I was going to join FFA. From there, I took Freshman Agriculture, and I have been hooked ever since,” Clayton said. “Mr. Swanson is constantly bringing in new activities and ideas to the classroom – keeping the content of his course up-to-date to what’s going on in the industry. Students leave his class smarter than when they come in.”

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | December 2020

TJ BIGGE

TJ Bigge

TJ Bigge, a student at SDSU and a Parkston High School graduate, is a great example of how FFA can provide direction and guidance for students. The SDSU student is majoring in agricultural education with a minor in leadership. His long-term plan is to become an ag educator somewhere in South Dakota and help kids discover a passion for agriculture.

TJ’s positive experience taking ag classes at Parkston High sparked his career interest. He said his ag teacher and FFA advisor, Jacob Englin, was a great influence. “Mr. Englin is a fantastic teacher. He was hired to revive the FFA program that had been on hiatus for so long, and he did an amazing job of it. He was a great coach, helping several teams along to the national level competitions. He was also a great teacher who gave us content that was exciting to learn while also being immediately applicable to our lives.”

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DALTON LARSON SDSU student and West Central High graduate Dalton Larson served as chapter president and treasurer, then as South Dakota FFA president from 2017-2018. FFA is something that Dalton’s family has been involved in for a long time. “I watched my older brother and sister go through the organization and witnessed the immense change in leadership qualities they underwent,” Dalton said. “I also watched my mom give tirelessly to the organization doing all she could to see not only her own children but every FFA member she came across succeed.”

Dalton grew up on his family’s cow-calf and row crop farm in Hartford, where he helped with a variety of chores that gave him hands-on experience in agriculture. His Supervised Agricultural Experience consisted of spending his time outside of the classroom working on the family farm. “FFA is more than just an organization focused on the basics of agriculture; it actually has many opportunities for professional development that can help anyone in any profession,” he said.

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YOUTH IN AG - 2020

SARAH KROEGER South Dakota State University student Sarah Kroeger, a Lennox, S.D. native, is pursuing an agriculture education degree and is on the path to become an ag educator. She also hopes to assume a role as FFA advisor.

Growing up on a farm played a key role in giving Sarah hands-on experience caring for animals. Her parents, Kim and Paula Kroeger, have a beef, swine and grain farm just north of Lennox. She joined 4-H when she was 8 years old. “I also enjoyed creating many static exhibits for the fair such as paintings, drawings, jewelry, baked goods and wood projects,” she said.

“My FFA advisor was this awesome mustache man named Mr. (Jim) Wilson,” she joked. “He fueled all of the goals I had throughout my FFA career. A big lesson I learned from him is you only get out what you put in. FFA is really for anyone who has a willingness to work hard and learn.”

Sarah Kroeger

RHEGAN OBERG Tri-Valley High School graduate Rhegan Oberg joined FFA in 7th grade. Her parents, Lisa and Jaimie Johnson, and brothers, Colt and Parker, farm just outside of Colton. Rhegan was introduced to FFA during a 4-H goat project. She said FFA helped her become a leader. “I’m a shy person, and FFA helped me to go out and meet people. I have had to interview in front of judges which will help me know what to expect when interviewing for a job.”

Rheghan said Mrs. VanDerVliet, the Tri-Valley FFA Advisor, pushed her to do things that were out of her comfort zone. “She wants the best for all the students in our FFA.” One of Rhegan’s favorite parts of FFA was traveling. She attended the FFA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., and the National FFA Conference in Indianapolis. “I try to encourage others to not just dream about things they want to do but to work hard and accomplish dreams.”

Rhegan Oberg 24

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE - 2020

ZIP FEED Even though it’s been more than 25 years since ZIP Feed ceased operations, it's common to see people wearing jackets or stocking hats emblazoned with the classic ZIP Feed logo. The company was founded

by Paul Batcheller in 1937 as Batcheller's Feed. Later, a local farmer said, "…I want that feed that gives the pigs that little zip." So, in the early 1950s, the name "ZIP Feed" was adopted.

The ZIP mill which opened in 1957 in Sioux Falls was 202 feet high – the tallest building in South Dakota until its demolition. Tom Batcheller said, "When that mill tower opened, it was the most modern feed mill in the world." The new facility was capable of producing 75,000 tons of feed per year.

Garretson area resident Reid Christopherson, who worked for ZIP, said, "The ZIP model was built upon an extremely strong foundation of dealers. ZIP was not a product—it was an experience. It was a family."

The ZIP Feed slogan was "A Brand You Can Trust," and company operations were based on that from the top down to the end customer—the farmers themselves.

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE - 2020

MINNEHAHA’S ABANDONED CEMETERIES For over 45 years, the Minnehaha County Abandoned Cemeteries Board has cared for 16 cemeteries that otherwise would have been ignored. The group receives a small annual grant from the county, but the majority of the work is done by volunteers who have mowed and cut weeds and grass, repaired fences and taken corrective measures related to grave markers.

The oldest abandoned cemetery, Hockenson Cemetery, located in Split Rock Township, dates back to 1873. Twenty-eight souls rest there, one of them being Rowena blacksmith Alfred Anderson, who was killed while sharpening a plow in 1899. His family moved to Oregon one year later, and his grave is a prime example of why there is a need for an organization like the Minnehaha County Abandoned Cemeteries Board.

Forest Home Cemetery, located in what is now west-central Sioux Falls, is where Civil War Veteran and Dakota Territory pioneer Rueben Hayward is buried. This is also where possibly 40-60 infants from an area orphanage are buried. For the most part, this cemetery was left alone until 1981. The location of Hayward’s grave was only marked by a brass bed frame on the hillside.

The family of Civil War Veteran Rueben Hayward who is buried in Forest Home Cemetery in western Sioux Falls.

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE - 2020

FFA HISTORY In 1917, the Smith-Hughes Act created a cohesive national approach to educate students – specifically with an agriculture and technical focus. This new curriculum inspired several agriculture teachers in Virginia to start a youth organization that promoted and supported agricultural education. In 1925, they founded Future Farmers of Virginia (FFV), which paved the way for the Future Farmers of America, now known as the National FFA Organization. Canton was home to South Dakota’s first FFA Chapter in 1930. Today, there are 91 chapters across the state.

GUNDERSON PARK IN CENTERVILLE

Gunderson Park just north of Centerville was a home to lots of summer fun in days gone by. Photo courtesy City of Centerville.

Beginning in the 1920s, Centerville’s Gunderson Park, or “The Beach” as it is often referred to, became an outdoor recreational hot spot. In its heyday, Gunderson Park was the place for everything from swimming and recreation, to fishing, to picnics, to meetings and celebrations. The park was home to bath houses, concession stands, and a clubhouse. Patrons could enjoy benches, swings, teetertotters, a maypole, and even large waterslides dumping into the swimming area.

Several seasons of flooding gradually started to destroy the park’s amenities and wooden structures. Park repair and clean-up days were held by community members but deterioration, vandals, and flood waters took their toll.

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A 1905 photo of the mill, dam and bridge at Klondike.

THE GHOST TOWN OF KLONDIKE On the Big Sioux River upstream from Canton is the former village of Klondike, Iowa. In the early 1900s, it was home to Iowa’s only known commercial gold mining venture. The river below Klondike was also well known for clamming at the turn of the century. The freshwater mussels were dug off the stream bottom with potato forks and boiled in large troughs over open fires to open the shells. The meat was fed to livestock, the shells were shipped to Muscatine to be made into mother-of-pearl buttons.

Klondike was begun by a German-born immigrant named Christian Krueger. Using native field stones, he constructed a rock dam on the Big Sioux River in 1883. He built a grist

mill to grind wheat for South Dakota and Iowa farmers who came from as far away as 50 miles. Krueger’s youngest son, August, sold the mill to J.H. Rowe of Canton in 1922. Rowe modernized the mill and, subsequently, turbines powered an electric generator which in turn powered a new attrition mill to grind cattle feed.

Even though its peak population was only 50, the town boasted a grocery store, an ice house, a sawmill, a blacksmith shop and gas station, and a tavern. The blacksmith shop/gas station closed in 1957 and Kenny’s Place tavern closed in the 1960s.

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE - 2020

HERITAGE HALL MUSEUM & ARCHIVES The Heritage Hall Museum & Archives tells the story of Germans-from-Russia – as well as Norwegians, Danes and others – who settled in Dakota Territory in the 1870s.

The Freeman area is the only the place in the world where three Anabaptist groups – the Low German Mennonites, Swiss Amish and Hutterites – settled together in one community. Related to this religious history, perhaps Heritage Hall’s most valuable antiquity is a Rechenschaft, a rare hand-written manuscript of an important confession of faith originally written by Peter Riedemann (1505-1556).

Other parts of the museum’s collection are perhaps not so auspicious, but, nonetheless, showcase important objects and experiences of the immigrants who settled in the area. Visitors can see a wide range of artifacts: Native American arrowheads; German sausage grinders; tractors and trucks and implements; printing presses, silent movie projectors; a full-fledged blacksmith shop; an outhouse; a reproduction of a general mercantile store; and batsa bricks. Early homes built by the Germans-from-Russia were sometimes built with the 5x10-inch sun-dried batsa bricks. There’s also a complete “summer kitchen” from 1910. For more information, visit www.heritagehallmuseum.com.

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FROM THE KITCHEN

BAKED POTATO SOUP Provided by Cathy Smit of Turner County

INGREDIENTS: • 12 oz. bacon • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion • 6 cups chicken broth • 2 lb. potatoes • 2/3 cup butter • 3/4 cup flour • 4 cups milk • 1 tsp. salt • 1 cup diced cooked ham • 8 oz. sour cream • 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS: Bake potatoes in oven until tender. Peel skins and cut into small 1/2 inch or smaller cubes. (or if using raw, peeled potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch or smaller cubes.)

Using a kitchen shears or sharp knife cut bacon into 1/4 inch slices and brown in skillet until crisp. Scoop bacon onto paper towels reserving the bacon drippings to cook onion until tender. Scoop onion out reserving the bacon drippings once again. In a large soup pot mix onion, chicken broth and potatoes. If using raw potatoes, cook until tender otherwise just heat to boiling over medium to low heat. Melt butter in bacon drippings and stir in flour whisking until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute then gradually stir in 2 cups milk until smooth. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture stirring until smooth then add remaining 2 cups milk and salt.

Cook over medium to low heat stirring constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in ham, bacon, sour cream and cheese. Heat thoroughly until cheese is melted. Makes about 1 gallon.

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ofDECEMBER Minnehaha County 2020

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